3 rape suspects, alleged child molester arrested in South Cotabato

KORONADAL CITY, Philippines — The police arrested three rape suspects and an alleged child molester in separate operations the past two days in South Cotabato province.

In a statement Saturday, the South Cotabato Provincial Police said personnel of the T’boli municipal police first arrested after a longtime surveillance Arjie Tosol Salan, respondent to a rape case pending at the Regional Trial Court Branch 45 in Surallah town.

The 27-year-old Salan, single, was cornered by a police team in Barangay Poblacion in T’boli, South Cotabato in an operation premised on tips from vigilant informants aware of his exact location.

He yielded peacefully when police operatives showed him an arrest warrant signed by Judge Vicente Peña.

Next to fall was rape suspect Carlito Branzuela Jr., 26, arrested in Barangay Linan in Tupi, South Cotabato by combined members of the local police, policemen from San Pablo town in Zamboanga del Sur and agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-9.

Branzuela, reportedly hiding in Tupi since 2017, is wanted for rape in Pagadian City.

The police operation in Barangay Linan, Tupi that resulted in his arrest was assisted by local officials.

The warrant for Branzuela’s arrest emanated from the Regional Trial Court Branch 22 in Pagadian City, signed by Judge Benjamin Lanzaderas.

Another rape suspect, the 61-year-old Pedro Botil Mahinay, was nabbed without resistance by policemen led by Captain Junel Rey Gatera in Barangay Maibo, Tantangan.

Mahinay was charged with rape before the RTC Branch 26 in Surallah.

The warrant for his arrest was issued by the court’s presiding judge, Felix Mesa.

An alleged child molester, Jundrine Mendal Caha, was also clamped down by a police team, led by Police Major Irish Hezron Flores Parangan, following his arrest in Barangay Talcon, T’boli.

Barangay Talcon is not too distant from where Salan was nabbed by another group of policemen also under the T’boli municipal police in a separate operation early on.

Caha is wanted for violation of Republic Act 7610, also known as the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

He shall be prosecuted for the offense at the RTC Branch 45 in Surallah town.